Introduction: Rising healthcare costs and reduced Medicaid reimbursements pose lasting challenges for trauma centers. Various studies have highlighted the adverse effect of these cost-related circumstances on trauma center survival and the need for local hospitals to transfer patients to tertiary and quaternary care centers. Our study seeks to assess the relationship between patient transfer status to a higher-level health center and its association with mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNovel treatments for extensive full-thickness burns revolve around fluid control, addressing systemic inflammatory derangements, and achieving early skin coverage with acceptable cosmetic and functional results. Recent advances in the management of extensive burns include fish skin xenografts, such as Kerecis Omega-3 acellular dermal substitute. Reported to be non-allergenic and antimicrobial, this Atlantic Cod skin derivative has the potential to supplement the management of patients with large surface area burns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRib plating is a recommended intervention for patients with multiple rib fractures or flail chest to improve shortness of breath, significantly reduce pain, and shorten the length of hospital stay. Here, we report a unique and extremely rare finding in a patient with empyema following intrathoracic rib fixation. A 32-year-old male with a history of alcohol use disorder presented to the emergency department trauma bay after a motor vehicle accident.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: is a bacteria that can be found in normal oral and gastrointestinal flora. infection is rare in immunocompetent patients but is known to cause periorbital cellulitis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis and bacteremia; however, its association with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has not been previously documented.
Case Presentation: A 36-year-old female with no known history who presented with right-sided chest, flank and upper abdominal pain after a motor vehicle accident.
Hemorrhage is among the leading causes of death for trauma patients. Adjunct techniques used to control bleeding include use of aortic cross clamping, application of a pelvic binder, rapidly expanding hemostatic sponges, and extra-peritoneal packing. Additionally, Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) can provide life-saving proximal control for patients with massive internal hemorrhage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Trauma care depends on a complex transfer system to ensure timely and adequate management at major trauma centers. Patient outcomes depend on the reliability of triage in local or community hospitals and access to tertiary or quaternary trauma institutions. Patients with polytrauma, extremity trauma, or vascular injuries require multidisciplinary management at trauma hospitals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Traumatic tension pneumothoraces (TPT) are among the most serious causes of death in traumatic injuries, requiring immediate treatment with a needle thoracostomy (NT). Improperly placed NT insertion into the pleural cavity may fail to treat a life-threatening TPT. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of prehospital NT placements by paramedics in adult trauma patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction Trauma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality amongst all populations in the United States. With the widespread increase of obesity in the United States, studies have been conducted to compare different body mass index (BMI) groups and their clinical outcomes for traumatic injuries. The goal of this study was to retrospectively compare mortality between adult trauma patients with a high BMI to those with a lower BMI as well as investigate whether the mechanism of trauma had an effect on the outcome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrauma is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for those under 45 years of age in the United States with half of the deaths in trauma being attributed to hemorrhagic shock. The use of enhanced care teams (ECTs) that include physicians in selective prehospital settings has allowed the delivery of advanced critical care interventions in the field. We present a unique case where a young driver involved in a motor vehicle accident was trapped under the weight of his vehicle, causing extended extrication time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: In July 2014, all residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) were enrolled in a new system called the Next Accreditation System. Residency programs may not be clear on how best to comply with these new accreditation requirements. Large amounts of data must be collected, evaluated, and submitted twice a year to the council's Web-based data collection system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objectives: Mesh fixation during laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair is thought to be necessary to prevent recurrence. However, mesh fixation may increase postoperative chronic pain. This study aimed to describe the experience of a single surgeon at our institution performing this operation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedical literature has demonstrated the effectiveness of narrative writing in enhancing self-reflection and empathy, which opens the door for deeper understanding of patients' experiences of illness. Similarly, it promotes practitioner well-being. Therefore, it is no surprise that narrative writing finds a new home in medical education.
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